“He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.” – Jonathan Swift
It was in a Versailles restaurant that I ate my first oyster. The year was 1960 something.
I’d watched as waiters delivered tiered plates to the table. On each plate, on each tier, was a different type of oyster.
“Have you ever had huitres?” Horst inquired. Horst was a German business associate of my father’s who lived in France.
“No.” I replied, craning to see what all the fuss was about at the neighboring table.
“Well you must try them! Garcon!” And so oysters arrived at the table and into my life. I was chronologically about eight years old, with the taste preferences of an impossible adult diva.
My first briny taste was awe inspiring. I had a new favorite food.
At the time, it was considered gracious to provide menus without prices to the guests at the table. My father, quickly seeing my ability to find the most esoteric and expensive item on the menu regardless of language or currency, gave me the price list to consider in my menu meanderings.
Not that it really influenced me. Certainly not when it came to oysters.
Oysters in Connecticut were usually fried. Big plates of succulent oysters, with lemon and tartar sauce on the water in Guilford. Or fried and stuffed into a grilled filet mignon at the Griswold Inn in Essex. It wasn’t until New Orleans that I was reunited with my favorite crustacean au naturelle.
And Rockefeller. And in pan fries, and in a hundred other creative combinations. In New Orleans, the combination of culinary creativity and oysters ROCKED! Raw, Rockefeller, fried in a po’ boy. OMG. I’ll have one of each! From In a Half Shell is a look at some New Orleanian takes on this crustacean. And I’ll be in New Orleans this fall. I may just have to revive this particular theme.
Local New Orleans lore held that you only ate oysters in months with an “R”. One studiously avoided eating oysters in months that do not contain an “R” (May through August). Perhaps. But here in Seattle, there seem to be no such cultural restrictions.
Thaiku in Seattle
May Kitchen on Vashon Island
In my quest for oysters, I have to admit I get waylaid. Guay Tiaw Tom Yum Nahm Kon (Wild cod, prawns, salmon stuffed tofu, egg, beanspouts, cilantro, scallion , egg noodles in a rich hot and sour shrimp broth) from Thaiku lured me to Thai rather than oysters. Green curry on Vashon at May Kitchen lured me to the curried side. But now I am on an oyster quest. Nothing will stop me.
There are at least 17 varieties of oysters available in the South Puget Sound Oyster Appellation of Washington State. This appellation ranges from Port Townsend to Bellingham, WA. From the Chef’s Resources, these include:
I put out an inquiry on social media and a number of places were recommended. Two of the most highly suggested were Taylor’s Shellfish Farms where their tagline is “From Tide to Table” and The Walrus and the Carpenter in Ballard:
The Walrus and the Carpenter Walked on a mile or so, And then they rested on a rock Conveniently low: And all the little Oysters stood And waited in a row.
The Walrus and The Carpenter is BEHIND this restaurant
The Walrus and the Carpenter, named after Lewis Carroll’s famous poem, is a “hot” restaurant. Located at 4743 Ballard Ave. NW, Seattle WA 98107 in Ballard, This neighborhood restaurant/bar is not far from the weekend Farmer’s Market. During the week they offer a happy hour from 4-6pm Monday through Friday.
But first you have to be able to find it.
The restaurant facing the street is NOT the Walrus and the Carpenter. You need to look for the little neon sign that leads to a nondescript corridor, that passes Barnacle (an Italian themed seafood bar owned by the same people) that finally leads to a bright, bustling seafood bar and restaurant.
The entry parallels the open kitchen and marble bar. Baskets of fresh oysters on ice tempt you immediately.
The bustling bar at the Walrus and the Carpenter
The menu is fairly straight forward. My selection of oysters du jour are Fanny Bay, Eld Inlet, Glacier, Houg Cove, Calm Cove and Totten.
Every oyster I eat is my favorite, but the Fanny Bays are really outstanding. Progressing from their delicate flavor to the slightly brinier Eld Inlet, a taste of mineralogy and brine linger with an almost tangy sweet aftertaste when combined with the shallot mignonette.
I’m in love.
I also ordered a very nice Jo Landron, Les Houx Muscadet. There is something about Muscadet and oysters that always seems to work. And this combination simply sings.
I also ordered some fried oysters which were encased in a chunky, slightly spicy crust and served with a delightful cilantro aioli. Warm, soft, crunch: perfect. But the oysters on the half shell are what really speak to my soul.
On such a soulful quest, no oyster should be ignored so my next stop is a local’s favorite, Taylor’s Shellfish Farms with locations in Pioneer Square, Capitol Hill, and Queen Anne.
Taylor’s in neon at the Queen Anne location
The Queen Anne restaurant is located on Republican Street near the Space Needle and the Performing Arts Center. The restaurant has a slightly modern, simple flair. The star is meant to be the seafood, not the decor.
The menu is limited, but unlimited in its bounty. Oysters, oysters and more oysters. There are also steamed clams, three ways:
Classic: Herb-shallot butter, sugar peas, thyme, white wine
Thai Curry: Tomato, coconut milk, ginger, jalapeño, green onion
And salads, soups and even a grilled cheese sandwich that is paired with Macrina Focaccia, Beecher’s Flagship, Provolone and a pickled red onion and arugula salad. And mussels and other seafood.
And oysters. Did I mention the oysters?
The oyster bar at the Queen Anne Taylor’s
Today’s Shucker’s Dozen included Sumo Kumo, Fat Bastard, Pacific, Shikoku and Kumamoto. What can I say other than briny bliss?
I eat my oysters simply with a shallot mignonette. A bit of lemon. No heavy chili sauces for me. I want to taste the oyster.
Taylors is a bit of a local legend. The family has been farming the waters of Puget Sound since the 1890’s. They have a combination of restaurants and retail seafood shops. They also raise and sell seafood internationally.
Here in Washington state, in every town they do business, they make it a point to give back. They’re deeply focused on their community, with an emphasis on youth and community service. And naturally, they’re deeply routed in creating a healthy, sustainable environment for seafood and much more.
The menus vary slightly by location, and of course, by season. At the Capitol Hill location, I added a Dungeness crab to my oyster repertoire. The location in Pioneer Square has more food options, including a fried oyster po’ boy. I would suggest trying them all. And even if there is an R in the month, you can still count on oysters at Taylor’s Seafood Farms.
When I think of oysters in literature, one of my favorite passages is from Anna Karenina where Levin dines with Oblonsky. The sheer joy of sharing a wonderful repast, even if with a somewhat distracted country cousin, has stayed with me all these years. But, perhaps more to the point and not requiring as much context:
“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea and their faint metallic taste that the cold white wine washed away, leaving only the sea taste and the succulent texture, and as I drank their cold liquid from each shell and washed it down with the crisp taste of the wine, I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.
Vashon Island has the reputation of being rural and sleepy. It is, but there is also great depth and quality in some of the local offerings. Here are three things to do on Vashon Island that amused me!
Vashon Island: The Farmer’s Market
The Vashon Island Farmer’s Market is held on Saturdays. It’s an eclectic, small town mix of local produce, music, beautiful jewelry, a food truck and several spectacular finds. Plus a local brewery. Plus tamales. Plus….
I love markets, so be prepared to visit a few with me. Markets give insight into the history, geography and culture of an area. They provide access to good fresh, locally grown food. And the people are great. They are all pursuing a passion.
Years ago in New York, there used to be a Forbes museum of people’s collections. Collecting is a passion, and I love people’s passions. I’ve encountered the mapaholics (like myself who are fascinated by the intersection of cartography and history); aviation junkies (luckily I could only afford one plane); a man with a passion for antique Thai coconut scrapers in form of rabbits; passions for jewelry; and on.
The Forbes Museum was very quirky. The collections ranged from somewhat frivolous (tin, cast iron, and paper toy boats) to sublime (think one of the world’s largest collections of Faberge Eggs). I believe these collections now rotate through various museums and the Forbes building. I bring this up because people of passion are great fun. You don’t need to share their passion to feel and enjoy their focus and energy. And the people who sell their wares at farmer’s markets are passionate about their crafts.
Truffles at the Vashon Island Farmer’s Market
The Vashon market yielded some great finds and wonderful conversations. The Mighty Truffle Dessert Company is one of the finds.
I’m not a big chocolate lover (it’s a character flaw, I know) but I do enjoy an occasional indulgence and this chocolate company has the delicious answer. They are wonderfully, maniacally obsessed with sourcing their food products and it shows. Not only have they created an organic, gluten free truffle, but it has no processed sugar. The raspberry truffles are especially luscious, but I enjoyed all the flavors. Look for the Mighty Truffle. Mighty good stuff!
Vashon Island Farmers Market
Several other stands were real stand outs. The goat milk feta offered at one stand was simply too good for words (think feta, watermelon, and arugula salad). And another vendor-Harbor Home Farm- offered carefully crafted semi-soft goat cheeses such as camembert. Mid Life Crisis Farm (gets my vote for best name) offers a wide selection of grass fed meats and meat products.
But it’s the goat cheese that makes my heart go pitter patter. I am a total sucker for goat cheese. I fell in love with it in France as a child, and have carried the preference with me my entire life. I remember one restaurant in Paris that would bring a massive, round woven flat basket to the table, laden with goat cheeses. This was my desert of choice, even back then.
Given this childhood culinary education, I had no choice but to become aware of and interested in food. I never ate much junk or fast food, but I used to consume a lot of (too much) dairy and red meat. I grew up in an area with local farms, so I didn’t really think much about the source of my food. As I got older, I didn’t pay much attention to ingredients in the few processed foods (such as yogurt, soups and tomato sauces) that I did buy. Now, after a cancer diagnosis and a re-education in healthy eating, I read every label, and buy “real food”, as fresh as possible.
My diet these days is vegetable rich and low glycemic. Little to no dairy, sugar, white flour, white rice or white pasta. In changing my eating habits, the hardest part was eliminating the dairy. I felt great, but life without at least some cheese just wasn’t worth living.
But in goat milk products, I found a happy compromise. The cheeses (and yogurt) are characterized by smaller, easier to digest molecules, and are less inflammatory than cow’s milk products. So you can imagine my surprise and delight to find not one, but two goat milk product stands at the Vashon Market.
Chelo at the Vashon Island Farmer’s Market
I didn’t get to the tamales which sounded great (but a higher glycemic choice, so I passed) but Chelo is another must visit stand. The Chelo cashew creme product line was created by Vashon nutritional nutritional therapist Chelo Gable, as a cheese alternative for offer her dairy sensitive clients. It’s rich, full of flavor. From her website:
“The process of making the cultured cashew crème begins with adding live cultures to whipped cashews, then allowing it to ferment for 2-3 days. During this time the beneficial bacteria consumes the sugars in the cashews and transforms the texture and taste from light and sweet to thick and savory. Any combination of herbs and spices can be added to infuse flavor into the whipped cashews.”
The herb combinations Chelo offers are beyond delicious. I’m heading back for more of the cilantro-garlic this weekend, to put on top of some fresh salmon. And I think I’ll pick up some asparagus from one of the local farm stands too. If you don’t like to shop, Vashon Fresh will deliver to your door.
Vashon-Maury Island was named by Captain George Vancouver of the British Navy in 1792 when he sailed into Puget Sound on the Discovery. He named the island after his friend captain James Vashon, who would later become an Admiral. The first American expedition in 1841 was led by Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, to make detailed maps of the area. Wilkes identified Maury Island as distinct from Vashon and named it after one of his surveyor’s Lt. Williams L. Maury.
Vashon-Maury Island
Vashon’s early history is not well documented. It was settled 6-10,000 years ago by native inhabitants. After the European and American discoveries, the 1880’s brought boat building to Dockton on Maury Island. Dockton was a residential neighborhood that supported the Puget Sound Dry Dock Company, which was the largest ship yard and dry-dock on the west coast from 1892 to 1909. As ship building in Dockton declined, a cannery was built, but this also eventually closed as the volume of salmon decreased. Agriculture was a dominant industry as well, with steamers, and later ferries, providing access to mainland markets. In 1918, Maury was officially connected to Vashon, and today Vashon often refers to both islands, which are the largest in the Puget Sound south of Admiralty Inlet.
Vashon Island beach
Vashon has numerous beaches. At low tide, some offer extended areas to walk. Since I’m trying to get more exercise into my life, and my excuse du jour, lacking a sport, is walking. And my motivation to walk is to take pictures.
There are a number of good beaches for walking and exploring. KVI beach offers great walks. Lisabeula Park is a great place to launch a kayak. Perhaps the most visited beach is the one in Point Robinson Park, where the lighthouse resides and where the whales gather at the point of the island.
The Point Robinson Lighthouse, built in 1887 and on the National Historic Register, is officially on Maury Island. The beach that wraps around the point offers excellent walking opportunities and incredible views. It’s also one of five lighthouses in the state of Washington where visitors can stay in the original lighthouse keeper’s buildings. At Point Robinson, there are two keeper’s accommodations for rent.
Point Robinson Lighthouse cottage is for rent on Vashon
Lighthouses are interesting structures. They’re usually located in fairly isolated locales, at the tip of a point or on a blustery cliff. The Point Robinson Lighthouse sits at the tip of Maury Island and provides a pulsing light that guides boats past it’s point.
Point Robinson Lighthouse, Vashon Island
Each lighthouse has a distinctive light pattern so that’s it’s easily identifiable from the sea. The lighthouses were strategically located along Puget Sound so as to provide guidance, but not overlap each other’s range of authority. The Point Robinson Lighthouse is strategic in that it marks a 90 degree turn in navigation for passing ships. These days, the original glass prism is replaced by modern technology. But the need for visual navigation remains, even with technology and gps. After all, have you ever followed Google maps only to find yourself on a strange path, or utterly lost?
For an island in Puget Sound close to high tech Seattle, you would think that communications and information would flow freely. Not on Vashon. It’s a throw back in many ways.
I kept seeing garden tour signs and handouts. Dates were hard to find. Was there a website? Finally the gentleman at the Hinge Gallery pointed me to the arts center for more information and hopefully ticket sales.
The Vashon Center for the Arts is a beautiful building. It sits at a four way stop intersection, south of town and north of the Tahlequah Ferry landing. It’s fairly new and an amazing addition to this island.
The reception desk at Vashon Center for the Arts
The reception desk inside the main entry is made from a tree that had to be taken down to build the building. The woodwork is stunning. As is the small but beautifully presented gallery just off the main entry. The building also has a theatre. And garden tour tickets!
The tour is self guided, over two days and takes you to various private gardens on the island, ranging from wild and wooly, to highly refined. And in the background are a variety of views, of Puget Sound, of Seattle and of the beaches.
My personal favorite was a fairly eclectic, meticulously crafted garden complete with grecian columns, an asian inspired lantern and a glass gardening shed. The attention to detail, in the materials and in the design was evident.
Vashon Island Garden Tour
All the gardens were different; all were fun; and all were interesting. Area artists display their wares as well, making for a fun afternoon exploring the island and its arts.
I get the sense that while Vashon seems simple, there’s more than meets the eye on this island. Secluded among the rolling hills and rocky beaches, there are numerous people with interesting backgrounds and stories to tell. I recently found out that Jo Robinson, author of Eating on the Wild Side: The Missing Link to Optimum Health lives here, but I don’t think I’ll have time to track her down. It’s just one more reason to come back to Vashon.
More Reading About Vashon Island, Seattle and Environs:
North from Healdsburg, across 195 to Route 5 North is a spectacular drive. It is a drive where you wear your car, through steep turns, and narrow, tightly winding roads over high hills with no shoulder for safety.
There are more direct routes, but I am not in a hurry to leave this part of the world, although I am ready to get on my way. I consider taking the coastal route, a stunning but slower trip, but I’ve been there, done that. I want to get to Vashon, rest, walk, and explore. The stress since September has been enormous, and I know that I need to set a side some time to simply take care of myself.
Healdsburg to Ashland is about 400 miles, give or take, depending upon your route. My route isn’t the most expeditious, but it’s fun driving and spectacular scenery. I dodge small rockslides, downshift through undulating roads with no shoulder, and generally avoid other drivers. The payoff is a spectacular view as I crest the hills and overlook Clear Lake.
Clear Lake is located north of Calistoga and has started to produce some good cooler climate vineyards of its own. It’s the largest natural fresh water lake in the state (Tahoe is larger, but is located across both California and Nevada) wth 68 square miles of surface water and it’s estimated to be possibly the oldest lake in North America at 2.5 million years old. It’s a mecca for summertime water sports, recreation and fishing. And for the expansion of the wine industry just to the south.
From Clear Lake, Route 20 heads east and feeds into I-5 North. I-5 is a typical interstate, but it traverses some amazing geography. From the relative flatlands in central California to the rolling country further north,
As I head north, it starts to rain at Shasta Lake. The lake is a popular spot to rent a houseboat and fish, play and cruise the waters. Once again, if outdoor activities are your thing, this is a great destination.
As I-5 winds north, the terrain becomes even more hilly and spectacular, even in the drizzle. This is the Siskiyou Mountain Range which feeds into the Rogue River (the river was featured in the film The River Wild), known for its Class III and one Class IV rapids. It teams with wildlife, ranging from bald eagles, osprey, bear, deer, various types of salmon and much more. The summit crests at 4,310 feet. And just to the north in the midst of all this wilderness, an oasis of civilization appears in Ashland at just under 2,000 feet above sea level. The altitude variances give one a sense of how spectacular this scenery is.
William Shakespeare
Ashland is home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Southern Oregon University. Gold discoveries fostered settlement in the area, and the resulting development of mills and support industries helped the area grow. In 1887, rail joined Ashland to San Francisco. In 1935, under the direction of Angus L. Bowmer the Oregon Shakespeare Festival was founded. It has become an award-winning and internationally known regional theater company that today hosts a variety of theatre productions.
Alas, on this Sunday, there are no evening shows! I had hoped to catch Julius Caesar, but no such luck. I settle into my room and set out for a walk. It’s after 4pm, and I am starved. I am too early for a dinner, so I look for other options as I cruise the streets of Ashland. Ostras! Tapas and Bottle Shop catches my eye, and I make note. I’ll come back here in just a bit.
The bar is already full, and I take a seat at the last remaining spot on the end. I like to eat at a bar. It’s both personal and impersonal; this service is usually great, and the food is often a bit less pricey. Plus it offers the opportunity to chat with others.
Tapas in Ashland, OR
A couple about my age sits next to me and we start talking. I learn that the gentleman that owns this restaurant is an Olympic Gold Medal Winner (!) who also travels the world coaching white water competitive kayaking.
The owner joins the conversation and we all trade stories. I tell them about CancerRoadTrip and we immediately start sharing tales of cancer in our families and among our friends. This may sound depressing, but it’s not. I actually find that most of us want to talk about these things, but we seldom do. Given the chance, it’s a catharsis and a bond between strangers. It’s all about life and how we manage the difficulties, as well as the triumphs.
Our conversation ranges across a variety of topics. To travel. To wine country tales. My companions at the bar live in Grass Valley, CA and like me, have been in and out of CA wine country for many years. I share my thoughts about living in the Russian River Valley for a month or two off season, and they enthusiastically chime in with ideas.
The bartender interrupts with some specials, including some tempura fried Brussels sprouts. Relatively healthy road food! For $5, a massive bowl of tiny little sprouts appear. I’ll only eat part, but it’s a good dose of cruciferous greens on the road. I also order some mussels, simply steamed in garlic, parsley and wine.
Healthy road food needn’t be too difficult. All the food may not always be organic; you may have to allow for a bit of flour or dairy (as little as possible!); but there are healthy choices to be made. And I find eating at the bar often allows me to graze and select an assortment of reasonable, good food.
After dinner, I walk a bit. I’m tired. Driving the back country of northern California is fun, but it also demands concentration. I’m interested in an early evening, and an early start the next day to Portland, my next stop. I’d like to arrive in time to spend a few hours in the city.
Day 2: Ashland to Portland
Ashland to Portland
Ashland to Portland is about 350 miles. It’s an easy highway drive. The drizzle continues, on and off. The road gains more traffic as Portland nears.
Portland is a town I’d like to spend more time in. This trip it is just an overnight stop. Thanks to excellent navigation from Google (more on navigation in a later post), I easily find the hotel I’d booked the night before. It’s downtown which I hope will give me an opportunity to explore a bit. I realize that there are many different aspects to this city, and I’ll have a limited chance to see them on this stopover.
I settle into the hotel and set off on a quest for some seafood. (This unrelenting theme of food in my life and this blog comes from a childhood of fantastic food. My father had an extensive wine cellar and European trips often centered around wineries, and Michelin restaurants, many of them 2 and three stars. It became a game to try to guess how these magical dishes were created. In time, over the years, this fed into my own cooking and culinary curiosity.)
Downtown Portland is home to many homeless. In my walk around town, I encounter numerous people on the sidewalk and on park benches. One seemingly crazy woman walking ahead of me is accosting people in her path. I slow down and let her move on. Across the way, another homeless person lies on the bench, watching. Homelessness is apparently a serious issue, even a crisis according to local government.
It’s too bad that this makes such an impression. Portland, I know, is an interesting city with many aspects to it. I won’t have the time to explore more on this trip. I’m on a mission to the north.
As evening falls, I realize I probably want to find a place to eat. A nearby seafood restaurant Ringside Fish House got good reviews, and with a little digging, I also found that Monday night was Dollar Oyster Night. Bar food again, this time raw oysters, steamed mussels and a kale salad. All for about $15. Looking ahead, I know I’ll be visiting farmers markets and cooking, and that will bring down my average price for food. So for tonight, I indulge and enjoy.
Day 3: Portland to Vashon
Day 3 on the road
Portland to Vashon is just under 160 miles. It’s early morning, and leaving Portland I watch the long line of commuters heading into the city. Thankfully I am traveling against the commute.
This last stretch is an easy drive. It drizzles, but as Tacoma approaches, the sky opens and the sun streams through. It is a beautiful afternoon.
I take a side excursion to Trader Joe’s. I’m not sure what the story is on the island with regard to food (or prices) and I want to arrive with some basics in tow.
With the car loaded with some fresh veggies and food, it’s Vashon ho! That, of course, includes a ferry ride!
Ferries aren’t glamorous; they are working ships that provide a bridge to otherwise inaccessible land forms. Relying on a ferry to provide connection with another land mass takes one back in time. No bridges, no direct roadways. The ferry tethers the island life to the mainland and so called civilization.
Yet getting away from civilization is what Vashon Island is all about. It’s a rural island, cut off from the bustle of the mainland. Many people are retired; some commute into the terminal in West Seattle, accessed from the north end of the island.
Rush hour on Vashon occurs every time a ferry arrives and disgorges her cargo. A line of cars courses through the main thorough fare. Then it ends. Life is back to island quiet.
For me, Vashon Island is a welcomed stopping point on #CancerRoadTrip. My friends are leaving for Greece and they have left me their house as a way station for my travels. For this, I’m deeply grateful. I need some time to rest and to plan. I need some time to focus on my health once again, after so many months of stress and uncertainty.
Vashon Island is the largest island in Puget sound, about 37 square miles. I enter the island from the south on the Point Defiance-Tahlequah ferry. There is only one main north-south road and I follow it to the north end of the island. Along the way, I see deer; rolling, heavily wooded country side; and signs for the occasional winery. The main town is a block or two in either direction, and has a Thriftway with anything one might need or desire.
I pass through town and find my friends’ Vashon Island home which nestles on a hillside. In the distance one can see the mainland, and between the lush landscape, downtown Seattle appears.
Seattle in the distance
Last night, my first night on Vashon, I slept like I haven’t slept in many, many months. It is quiet on the island. Except for the Seattle nightscape in the distance, softened through a bit of moisture hanging in the evening air, it is dark and it is restful.
Inspiration, joy & discovery through travel. Oh, did I mention with supposedly incurable cancer?
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CancerRoadTrip is about making lemonade out of lemons.
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lives here, but I don’t think I’ll have time to track her down. It’s just one more reason to come back to Vashon.
